It is known in the seeding art to provide active control of downforce on a row unit of a seeding machine such as a planter to ensure the furrow opener is operating at a proper depth and to control the downforce to provide only as much downforce as is needed. This reduces unnecessary soil compaction adjacent the seed furrow. However, the proper downforce for the opener does not always provide the proper downforce on the closing wheels. An adjustable spring is typically provided between the closing wheels and the row unit frame. This can be set by the operator before, operation and if needed, the operator can stop planting and readjust the closing wheels downforce springs. However, operators seldom will take the time to adjust the closing wheel downforce springs during planting.
A row unit is disclosed having an downforce control system for the closing wheels. The closing wheel downforce control may be active, that is closed loop, or inactive, that is open loop. This control of the downforce pressure for the closing wheels can be separate from the row unit downforce control or can be related to the row unit downforce control by making the closing wheel downforce proportional to the row unit downforce. In a closed loop control, operator input to the control system is used to set a desired downforce for the closing wheels. The control system then operates the downforce actuator to produce the desired downforce. In an open loop control, a monitor displays a load to the operator who then commands operation of the downforce actuator to change the downforce on the closing wheels as desired.